The Real Difference Between Luxury Living in New York and China
By Kelli Luu | 20 Mar, 2026

While luxury apartments in Manhattan prioritize location and skyline views, China’s affluent living scene focuses more on space and communities, reflecting very different housing markets.

If you thought luxury apartments in Manhattan were the pinnacle of high-end city living, then China’s affluent residential scene may surprise you. New York is known for luxury apartment living with towering skyscrapers and stunning panoramic views defining the high-end housing market, but in China, the luxury apartment living lifestyle can look very different. 

Location and exclusivity is what makes a New York apartment luxury. Manhattan has some of the most expensive real estate in the world with some apartments selling for over $4 million. High-end properties in Manhattan can often exceed $3,000 per square foot, in comparison to the rest of the United States where the country’s median listing price is approximately $220 to $223 per square foot. 

Since land in Manhattan is limited, luxury living happens vertically where residents live in high rise towers. These buildings are equipped with full amenities like private fitness centers, concierge services, and rooftop pools that look over the city, but even at this expensive level, apartments can still feel small compared to luxury living in other cities. 

Rather than single towers, residential projects in places like Shanghai are built as large gated communities that have multiple buildings and recreational spaces which function like private neighborhoods. Some have schools, childcare facilities, and shopping areas, providing even more convenience for citizens. 

Over the past two decades, China has been seeing one of the largest housing construction booms in history, building more high-rise residential buildings in the last 20 years than the U.S. built during the entire 20th century. A major contributor to these large-scale communities is Poly Real Estate, one of China’s biggest residential developers. Poly Real Estate has built thousands of housing projects across the country, including high-end luxury ones that have helped shape the modern housing landscape. 

In Shanghai, luxury apartments can sell for over 170,000 yuan per square meter, which is around $2,200 per square foot, meaning a high-end apartment can easily cost around $3 to $5 million, similar to those in Manhattan. 

But the biggest difference is what buyers get for this price. In China, the cost often comes with larger living areas and other private amenities, while in New York value is tied to your address. Both cities are important housing markets, but they reflect different visions of luxury urban living.